Article packing apparatus



March 7, 1934. Y. A. AHNGER 1,952,042

AR'IZICLE PACKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY W

ATTORNEY 77215 A. AHNGE/i.

March 27, 1934. AHNGER 1,952,042

ARTICLE PACKING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 8 19150 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 712.75 A. A HNGER.

ARTICLE PACKING APPARATUS Fi-led Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet. 3

INVEN TOR. 7/276 A AHIIGER.

A TTORNEYS.

. Y. A. AHNGER ARTICLE PACKING APPARATUS March 27,

Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. YRJ' A. AHNGER.

A TTORNEY March 27, 1934. AHNGER ARTICLE PACKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 "IIIIINIIII lhllll -ullllllilllllll;

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March 27, 1934. Y. A. AHNGER ARTICLE PACKING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed NOV. 8, 1930 INVENTOR YRJ'd A. AHIYGER. BYW

AT ORNEYS.

Patentecl Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

My present invention relates to an automatic machine for arranging and packing rectangularly shaped bodies and more particularly to a machine for packing cube sugar and the like in suitable shipping cartons.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine for arranging and packing a plurality of articles in suitable cartons, in a continuous and entirely automatic manner without the necessity of the operator handling same.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby the articles to be packed will be arranged and fed to the machine in proper formation.

A further object of my invention is to provide in an apparatus of the above character a means for automatically stopping the machine upon a failure of a sufficient supply of either articles to be packed or containers therefor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel type of carton supply and discharge system which will automatically place the empty carton in a proper position to be filled and later carry the filled carton away from the machine.

Additional objects and advantages of my invention will in part be evident to those skilled in this art and others will be pointed out hereinafter in the specification.

In carrying out my invention I interpose my improved apparatus, which in the present instance is illustrated as adapted to pack cube sugar in suitable cartons, between two continuously moving conveyors or belts. One of these belts is adapted to convey the sugar to the apparatus and the other conveyor is adapted to carry the sugar away from the apparatus after it has been deposited in suitable cartons.

Briefly, the apparatus embodies an inclined hopper of special construction from which the sugar is discharged in a position to be picked up and arranged in vertical layers where it can be conveniently moved by a novel pick-up device into a suitably disposed carton. In addition to the pick-up and cube moving features, my appa-' ratus also includes a novel mechanism for supplying and placing the cartons into a suitable article receiving position, and which will later place the filled cartons upon the discharge conveyor. Suitable interlocking mechanism is also provided to prevent an operation of the machine in the event of an insufficient supply of sugar cubes or cartons.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention I have prepared drawings which show one embodiment thereof. I desire to have it understood however, that these drawings are merely and solely for the purpose of illustrating the principles and are not to be taken in a limiting sense.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my improved apparatus,

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail plan view showing my improved cube arranging mechanism at the receiving end of the machine,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of parts illustrated in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an enlarged view showing a detail view of the cube pick-up feature of my apparatus with cooperating parts shown by dotted lines,

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a preferred type of interlocking and emergency stop mechanism for my apparatus,

Figure 8 is a detail view partially in section showing a part of the stop mechanism in its operative position,

Figure 9 is a View showing details of the carton feeding features of my improved machine,

Figure 10 is a further detail view showing the manner of holding the cartons in their cube receiving position, and

Figure 11 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating an additional interlocking and emergency stop arrangement for my device.

For the purpose of this specification I'shall first describe my invention in a general way, as applied to the packing of cube sugar, in conjunction with Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, and later describe the various novel features in more detail in conjunction with the remaining figures of the drawings.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, I show the various parts of my apparatus mounted upon a frame or support 10 which has the usual vertical legs and horizontally extending supports. At one end of the frame 10 there is shown a conveyor belt 11 which serves to carry the articles to be packed to the machine and at the other end of the machine there is provided a second conveyor belt 12 which is adapted to carry away the articles after they have been properly packed by the machine. A third conveyor 13 for conveying empty cartons to the filling position of the apparatus is also 10- cated at this latter end of my machine. U

Cooperating with the discharge end of the coin veyor 11, I provide a plurality of overhanging vertical guides 14 which serve to align the sugar cubes in proper formation within an inclined hopper 15 from which they are taken by a special pick-up device 16, to be described in detail hereinafter. At the point where the sugar cubes enter the guides 14 there is a special arrangement of swinging members 1'7 which serve to insure a continuous and uniform feed of cubes between each of the guides 14. This feature is illustrated in detail in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.

After the sugar cubes have been taken from the hopper 15 by the pick-up device 16 they are deposited in vertically disposed tiers in a horizontally extending rectangular guide member 18. At the discharge end of the guide 18 there is mounted a carton retainer 19 which serves to hold an empty carton over the end of the guide so that the sugar cubes can be pushed therein. At this point it should be stated that the pick-up device 16 is adapted to pick up four tiers of sugar cubes during each complete cycle thereof and it is so designed that when the fourth tier has been picked up it will move the four tiers a distance corresponding to the depth of the carton and thus discharge four layers of sugar cubes from the end of the guide member 18 and into a carton which is disposed over the end thereof. After the carton has been filled and thus pushed off the end of the guide member 18, it will be received by a vertically swinging shelf 28 which is operated and timed so as to raise and receive the carton when filled and then lower the filled carton downwardly and upon the conveyor belt 12 where it will be conveyed away for further handling. As the empty cartons upon the conveyor belt 13 approach a position opposite the end of the guide 18 they will be discharged one at a time upon a shelf like support 21. This support 21 is driven in timed relation with the pick-up device 16 and moves forward periodically with the empty carton and places it on the retaining device 19, which upon further forward movement of the support 21 car ries the open top of the carton over the end of the sugar cube guide 18 preparatory to receiving a charge of sugar. The operation of the carton retaining device 19, the swinging shelf 28 and the reciprocating shelf 21 is ccntrolledby a pair of cams 22 and 23 which operate through suitable links, as will be described hereinafter in conjunction with Figure 9 of th drawings.

In order to insure a perfect timing of the several elements of my invention, I provide suitable driving connections which receive their power from a central or main driving shaft 24 and upon this shaft I mount a special releasing clutch arrangement 25 which is driven through a chain 26 by a suitable electric motor 27. The clutch 25 is to be described in more detail in connection with Figures '7 and 8 of the drawings. It will be sufficient to say here that the clutch mechanism 25 is so designed that it may be rendered inoperative by a suitable interlocking stop arrangement in the event that the supply of sugar cubes or empty cartons should fall.

In the above I have outlined in a general way the several outstanding aspects of my machine. I shall now proceed with a more detailed description, taking up the several features individually in the order of their arrangement in the machine.

By referring to Figures 1 to5 inclusive it will be seen that where the guides 14 overhang the conveyor belt 11, every alternate guide is provided with the aforementioned swinging member or extension 1'7. When the swinging members 1'7 swing back and forth they will engage the sugar cubes as they are carried along the belt 11 and turn them so as to present them with their sides parallel to the guides 14. As illustrated in Figure 1, these swinging members 1'7 are actuated by a reciprocating rod 28 which reciprocates transversely upon the frame 10 under the influence of a cam 29 mounted upon a shaft 80. The shaft 30 is shown as driven by suitable gears 31 which connect. with a shaft 32, the shaft 32 being driven by a motor not shown. As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the swinging members are pivotally mounted upon a rigid support 34 and are provided at their upper end with a flexible leaf spring 35 which engages with the reciprocating rod 28. The leaf spring 35 is of such proportions that it is stiff enough to move the members 17 under normal conditions and to flex, as shown in Figure 4, should a cube of sugar become disposed so as to interfere with the free movement of one of the members 1'7. This will avoid a crushing of the sugar cube by any of the members 1'7. After the sugar cubes are discharged from the conveyor 11 they will slide freely down the inclined hopper 15 between their respective guides 14 and repose at the lower end thereof against an upwardly curved wall 38 over which they will be subsequently moved by the pick-up device 16.

By referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings it will be seen that the pick-up device 16 comprises a plurality of cam controlled comb-like lifters 3'7, 38, 39 and 40. These lifters are described as con1b-lile because they are each made up of a plurality of tines or tooth-like members which, as illustrated in Figure 3, resemble a comb. At the lower end of the inclined hopper 15 where the sugar cubes are disposed against the previously referred to curved wall 36, the bottom' of the hopper 15 and the curved wall 36 are slotted so as to permit the individual teeth of the lifting devices 3'7, 38, 39 and 40 to pass there through between the adjacent guides 14 which are at this point extended upwardly and over the curved wall or surface 36. Each of the comb-like members 3'7, 38, 39 and 40 are journaled respectively upon suitable supporting shafts 41, 42, 43 and 44 and these shafts are in turn mounted upon continuous drive chains 45 carried by sprockets 46 and 4'7. Disposed respectively at the near and far ends of this lifter arrangement I provide suitable stationary cam trackways 48 and 49 which function to control the position and movements of the lifting elements 3'7, 38, 39 and 40. The lifting members 37, 38 and 39 are each provided with similarly disposed cam controlled cranks which carry suitable rollers that engage the cam trachway 48 and the lifting member 40 is provided with an oppositely disposed cam controlled crank which with a similar roller cooperates with the oppositely disposed cam trackway 49. At this point it should be stated that the cam trackways 48 and 49 are similar in every respect except at their upper sides where the cam trackway 49 extends in a straight line beyond the cam trackway 48, a distance equal to the depth of a carton. With this difference in the dimensions of the two cam trackways it will be understood, as will appear in the description of the operation of my machine, that the lifting members 3'7, 38 and 39 will each lift their particular tier of sugar cubes and deposit them in substantially the same position within the end of the guide member 18, pushing the previous tier a distance equal to the thickness of the cubes and that the lifter 4o will then deposit its tier of cubes upon the guide member 18 and move all the cubes previously deposited in the guide 18 a distance equal to the depth of the carton and cause the latter to be thus moved off the end of the guide member 18 and upon the swinging shelf 20 with a full charge of sugar.

By referring to Figures 7 and 8 it will be seen that the clutch device 25 through which power is transmitted to the main shaft 24, comprises a hub member firmly keyed upon the shaft 24, a sprocket 51 and a connecting means. This hub member 50 has a cylindrical portion upon whichthe sprocket 51 may freely turn and the sprocket 51 is provided with a plurality of notches 53 into which an oscillating key 52 may engage. The oscillating key 52 is shown in Figure 7 as carried by a flange 54 upon the hub member 50 and as biased to the right by a spring 55 operating against an arm 56 formed integral with the key. When the key 52 is in the position here described it will be seen that as the sprocket 51 is turned by the chain 26 the shaft 24 will be rotated. In Figure 8 the arm 56 is shown as moved into its other extreme position where the key 52 is rotated out of engagement with the notches 53, previously referred to as formed upon the sprocket 51. Under these conditions the sprocket 51 will be free to rotate about the cylindrical portion of the hub 50 without imparting any rotary movement to the shaft 24. With the above described clutch arrangement it will be readily seen that since it is mounted upon. the shaft 24 the machine may be instantaneously stopped by arranging suitable stop means in the path of the arm 56 as it turns with the sprocket 51.

As shown in Figure 7, I embody the above feature in my apparatus and obtain a stopping of the machine in the event that the supply of sugar cubes should fail, by providing a plurality of feelers 57 which are disposed, as shown in Figure 1, so that there will be one of these feelers 57 between each of the guides 14 at the lower end of the hopper 15. The feelers'57 are each carried by individual. collars 58 which have a predetermined freedom of movement upon an oscillating shaft 59. Each of the collars 58 is illustrated as having a broad keyway 60 in which a key 61 carried by the shaft 59 is disposed. In order to oscillate the shaft 59 in timed relation. with the pick-up device 16, I show a crank arm 62 upon the end thereof. This crank. arm 62 is connected by means of a link 63 with a double cam. 64 mounted upon a shaft 65 which supports the previously referred to chain sprocket 46. The end of the link 63 carries a forked yoke 66 upon which a'cam engaging projection 67 is mounted so that as the cam rotates the link 63 will be moved back and forth and thus oscillate the shaft 59. The link 63 is shown as biased toward the cam 64 by a spring 68. In addition. to operating the link 63, the cam 64 also serves to move oppositely disposed stops 68 and 69 into and out of the path of the clutch arm 56. As illustrated, the stop 68 is pivoted at a point 70 and the stop 69 is pivoted at a point 71. A link 72 connects these stops 68 and 69 together so that they operate in unison, and a cam engaging member '73, mounted upon a link 74 connected between the stop 69 and a latch bar 75, functions to move the stops 68, 69 and the latch. bar 75 back and forth. The latch bar 75 is shown aspivoted at a point 76 sothat the cam engaging member 73 will be moved back and forth in a straight line under the influence of the cam 64 and: a spring 77 which functions to maintain the member 73 in contact with the cam 64.

With the above arrangement it will be seen that as the cam 64 rotates, the feelers 57' will be caused to move up and down and periodicab ly make contact with the fifth cube of sugar between the various guides 14, and that the stops 68 and 69, the links 72 and 74, and the latch bar 75 will also move periodically into and out of. cooperating relation with the clutch arm 56. The upper end of the latch bar 75 extends inwardly beneath the feelers 57 and is adapted to be engaged, under certain conditions, by anyone of a number of latching hooks 78, one of which is suspended from each of the feelers 5'7. These latching hooks '78 are pivoted upon a shaft 79' and are suspended from the feelers 57' by means of a light spring. 80 so that as the feelers move up and down the latching hooks '78 will move in unison therewith. In the event that one of the feelers 5'7 should not engage a sugar cube, as shown in Figure '7, the particular corresponding hook 78 will drop low enough to be engaged by the latch bar 75 and the stops 68 and 69 will .be held in their stop position against the action of the spring '77 and thus cause the clutch 25 to be disconnected and prevent further operation of the machine. Under these latter conditions the light spring 80 will yield to permit the particular feeler 57 to move up without unlatching the bar 75.

In order to provide for an automatic starting of the machine as soon as the lacking cube or cubes of sugar are supplied by the conveyor 11, I show the cam 64 as continuously driven by a chainv 33 which passes over a sprocket 64' formed upon the cam 64 and a similar sprocket 51' formed upon the member 51. It should be stated that the cam 64 is mounted to freely rotate upon the end of the shaft 65. It should be also noted that the cam 64 has two similar cam surfaces and consequently in order that it operate in timed relation with the clutch 25, there are provided only two notches 53 in the member 51, these notches being so located that they will travel over the 120 stop positions when the cam surfaces are in their position of maximum thrust. With this are rangement it will be seen that the cam 64 will rotate continuously and independently of the: condition of the clutch 25. Under normal opera.- tion the cam 64 will cause the stops 68 and 69, as previously stated, to periodically moveinto and out of the path of the clutch operating lever 56, but should one of the feelers 57 fail to engage a sugar cube its corresponding hook 78 will drop far enough to engage the stop bar 75 and hold the stops 68 and 69 in their stop positions. As the cam 64 continues to rotate the link 63 will oscillate the shaft 59 and move the feelers 5'7 up and down while the spring 80 of the particu-- lar latching hook 78 yields to permit this movement. Now, should a sugar cube be deposited under the particular feeler 57 which has permitted its latch 78 to engage the bar '75, this feeler will be held up in its normal position by the sugar and when the cam 64 comes around and pushes the stop bar 75 slightly, as is provided for, the operative latching hook 78 will move up under the influence of its spring 80 and thus permit the cam engaging member 63 to follow the cam 145 64 and move the stops 68 and 69 out of their stop positions and the machine will continue the packing of the sugar cubes.

By referring now to Figures 1, 2' andv 9 it will: be seen that the carton holder 19 and the re--15(I lar 83.

is controlled by a cam groove 86 formed in the camwheel 22. The lever 85 isjournaled upon a transversely extending shaft 87 and carries a cam roller 88 which engages the cam groove 86. With this arrangement it will'be seen that as 5 the cam wheel 22 rotates the shelf 21 will be carried back and forth upon its support 81. As the collar 83 moves to the left with the shelf 21 it will place a carton upon the retaining device 19 so that. the carton will be guided over the dis- 2 charge end of the guide 18. Before the carton.

reaches a position near the end of the guide 18, the collar 83 upon the support 81 will engage the guide 82 and thus push the latter to the left so as to prevent any pressure upon the. car- -Tton. -.At the same time the retaining member 19 will expand, as will be pointed out in connec-.

tion with Figure 10 of the drawings, and will carry the carton over the end of the guide 18 to its 'final position. After the aboveoperation 'Ithe guide 82 will be retained in this final position by a latching arrangement formed. by a pivoted arm 89, upon which a stop 90 and an operating pawl 91 are mounted. The arm 89 is mounted so that it will move downwardly by its own weight and the operating pawl 91 is so disposed that it will raise the arm 89 and the stop 90 upon each forward stroke of the collar 83. For this purpose the pawl 91 is so secured and disposed that it will be engaged by the upper end of the lever 85 so as'to raise the arm 89. In order that the pawl 91 will not raise the arm 89 upon the return stroke of the lever 85, the pawl 91 is pivoted so that it will swing freely to the right. As shown in Figure 9, the stop 90 functions to hold the retaining device 19 in its carton retained position. The guide 82 is provided; as shown in Figure 1, with outwardly projecting flanges 92 through whichsuitable guide rods 93 pass and surrounding: the rods 98 there 5011s shown a pair of compression springs 94 which serve to push the retaining device 1.9 from the end of the guide 18 when the stop 90 is raised by the pawl 91. When the retaining device 19 is thus removed from the sugar guide 18 its pro- 'lijecting ends will collapse and again present diverging surfaces for the reception or" the next carton, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In addition to the above, Figure 9 also shows in detail the manner of controlling the move- 'iments of the swinging shelf 20. As here illustrated, the shelf 20 is shown as journaled upon a shaft 95 and as having an arm 98 which connects through a link 97 with a cam controlled lever 98. The cam controlled lever 98 is mountif ed upon the shaft 87 and carries a cam roller 99 which is disposed in a cam trackway 100 formed in the side of the cam wheel 28. With c'am'g'rooves 86 and 100 disposed as shown in this arrangement, it will be seen that as 1e cam wheel 23 is rotated in unison with the cam wheel 22 the shelf 20 will move up and down in timed relation with the reciprocating shelf 21. In operation the shelf 20 is timed to swing up into the position shown by dot and dash lines,

just as the carton with its charge of sugar is pushed 011 the carton retainer 19 and to then swing downwardly where it will place the filled carton upon the previously referred to conveyor belt 12.

In Figure 10, I show the carton retaining device 19 disposed over the end of the guide 18 with a carton thereupon. In this view it will be noted that the diverging portions of the retaining device 19 which I have designated by the numeral 101 have been flexed or flattened so that they will lie substantially fiat against the top and side walls of the guide 18 and within a carton 102. Under these conditions it will be understood that the carton 102 will be held firmly in this position until the cam controlled lifter 10 forces the sugar and the carton from the end of the guide 18 and upon the swinging shelf 20. After the carton has been thus dislodged from the retaining device 19, the device 19 will remain in the position here shown until the pawl 91 on the arm 89 is again engaged by the top of the lever 85, as previously described. When the pawl 91 engages as above and lifts the lever 89 the springs 94 will move the device 19 off. the guide 18 and into the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As the top, bottom and sides 101 of the carton retainer 19 are moved out of contact with the guide 18 they will collapse and again present diverging surfaces which will lar 83 will engage the guide 82 and thus move the carton retainer 19 independently of the carton so as. to avoid the exertion of any strains or pressures which might destroy the carton. the retaining device 19 moves into its final position it will be held by the stop 90, as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, and will remain here until the top of the lever engages the pawl 91 on its next carton advancing stroke. -1

As a further precautionary measure and in order to insure that my machine will not operate without an empty carton for receiving the sugar I may provide, as illustrated schematically in Figure 11, an additional interlocking or stop mechanism. As here shown, this'feature em-' bodies a stop member 103 which operates'in conjunction with the clutch 25 in a manner similar to the stops 68 and 69. The stop 103 is disposedabove the clutch 25 and is adapted to be moved up and down and into and out of the path of the arm 56. In order to effect this up and down movement of the stop 103, I show an electric solenoid 104 in which a plunger or armature 105 operates. A link 106 connects the armature 105 with the stop 103. In the energizing circuit of the solenoid 104, I connect a circuit interrupting device which is adapted to periodically connect the solenoid 104 to a source of current 107, should there be no carton upon the shelf 21. The above referred to circuit interrupting device comprises an insulating cylinder 108 upon which a current conducting segment 109 is disposed and a pair of stationary contacts 110 which are spaced so as to complete the electric circuit as the segment 109 passes thereunder. The cylinder 108 may be mounted upon any shaft of the machine which Before the carton has been moved. completely over the end of the guide 18, the 001-.

rotates in unison with the shaft 24 and in fact it may be found desirable to place it upon this latter shaft. Cooperating with the above electric circuit interrupting device, I also show a circuit interrupting switch 111 which may be biased into its open position by an arm 112 projecting adjacent the shelf 21 and into the path of the cartons as they are placed in their final position upon the reciprocating shelf 21.

With this arrangement it will be seen that if there is a carton upon the shelf 21, which is the desired condition, the switch 111 will be held open and as a result the electric circuit will be open and the stop 103 will not be moved by the solenoid 104 into the path of the clutch arm 56.

In connection with the shelf 21, it should be stated that it is provided with a rearwardly projecting baflie or flange 113 which operates to hold the empty cartons upon the conveyor belt 13 when the shelf is moved forward and out of its carton receiving position. Under these conditions the belt 13 will continue to rotate and slide under the cartons, until the shelf 21 returns to the position shown in Figures 1, 2, 9 and 11, when the cartons will be released by the flange 113 to permit another carton being moved into position upon the shelf.

Before proceeding with the description of the operation of my apparatus it is thought desirable that certain features of the drawings be explained. The first feature appears in Figure 1. It is the difierence in width of the conveyor belts 11 and 12. In the drawings, because of the necessity for showing a double line outline of the partitions 14 and the feelers 57 it has been found necessary to exaggerate the width of the apparatus at this point. In practice the partitions 14 are proportionately thinner than they are represented in the drawings and consequently the conveyor belt 11 need not be much wider than the conveyor belt 12. In this connection it should also be stated that the diverging portion at the discharge end of the guide 18 will not be quite as acute as it appears in the drawings.

In Figure 10, a similar difficulty has arisen as a result of the above Patent Office requirement for a two line showing of articles having relatively small thickness. As here shown, the walls of the guide 18, the thickness of the diverging portions 101 of the retaining device 19 and the thickness of the carton are exaggerated. In practice the thickness of the walls of the guide 18 at this point and the portions 101 are very thin and as a result do not occupy any substantial space within the carton.

The operation of the sugar packing aspect of the apparatus is as follows:

It will be assumed that the conveyor belt 11 is operating toward the apparatus and that it is carrying cubes of sugar distributed thereover toward the hopper 15. As the cubes reach the end of the conveyor 11 they will engage the vertical guides 14 and be properly directed therebetween by the swinging members 17.

When the cubes are thus properly arranged between the guides 14 they will slide down by gravity to the lower end of the hopper 15 where the comb-like lifters 37, 38, 39 and 40 of the pick-up device 16 may lift them up and arrange them in the guide 18, as will hereinafter appear.

It will also be assumed that the apparatus has been operating and that a carton has just been filled and forced from the end of the guide 18. Under these conditions the guide 18 will be completely packed with sugar cubes from its discharge end to a point substantially four times the thickness of a cube from where the cubes are placed in the guide 18 by the lifters 37, 38, 39 and 40. With the apparatus in this condition and the lifter 37 approaching the under side of the hop er 15 it will be seen that as the lifter 3'7 engages the sugar cubes it will pick them up and carry them into the guide 18 where it will leave them arranged in a vertical tier extending completely across the guide 18 between the vertical guides 14. As this tier of sugar cubes and the subsequent tiers which are picked up by the remaining lifters approach this point they will be engaged by a plurality of spring or resilient fingers 114, as shown in Figure 6. The fingers 114 at this point exert a slight downward pressure upon each of the vertical rows of cubes and thus hold them against becoming displaced or toppling over due to vibration of the machine. At about the time the lifter 3'7 disengages its charge of sugar the lifter 38 will approach the bottom of the hopper 15 and pick up a similar charge of sugar and place it in substantially the same position as the previous tier of sugar was placed by the lifter 37. This second charge of sugar when it engages the first above charge of sugar in the guide 18 will cause the latter to move a distance equal to the thickness of the cubes. This operation will be repeated as the lifters 39 and 40 engage the sugar cubes in the hopper 15. When the lifter 40 places its charge in the guide 18 it will not, however, release the charge at this po nt as do the lifters 37, 38 and 39, but it will continue on because of the difference in its controlling cam trackway 49 and cause the sugar last picked up and the sugar already in the guide 18 to move a distance equal to the depth of a carton. It will be understood that a carton has been placed over the end of the guide 18 during the above operation and that as the charge of sugar is moved, as described above, the carton will be filled and forced from the end of the guide 18 and upon the vertically swinging shelf 20 and be lowered thereby to the conveyor belt 12.

The operation of the carton supply aspect of my invention is as follows:

It will be assumed that the cartons are arranged on the conveyor belt 13 with their open tops directed toward the end of the sugar guide 18 and that they are approaching the reciprocating shelf 21 at the proper speed. It will also be assumed that the cam wheels 22 and 23 are rotating. Under these conditions as soon as a carton is filled and discharged from the guide 18 and deposited upon the conveyor belt 12 the reciprocating shelf 21 will move forward with an empty carton and place it over the diverging ends of the carton retainer 19. As the sliding collar 83 which supports the shelf 21 moves to the left it will engage the guide 82 which carries the carton retainer 19 and cause the retainer 19 and the carton to be carried completely over the end of the sugar guide 18 where the carton retainer l9 and the carton will be retained in place by the stop 90. After the carton retainer 19 has been thus latched in place with the carton the reciprocatingshelf will again return to its carton receiving position and repeat the operation. During the time the carton is being filled and discharged from the end of the guide 18 the retain ng device 19 will remain in its latched position and will not be released until the top of the cam operated lever 85 engages the pawl 91 and raises the stop 90. As soon as the stop is raised the springs 94 will move the retaining device 19 desire to have it understood that this invention ofi the end of the guide 18 so as to permit the diverging sides 101 to collapse and enter the next empty carton which is then engaging the retainer.

The operation of the automatic stop or interlocking mechanism of my apparatus is as follows:

As the pick-up device 16 operates the double cam 64 will rotate in unison therewith and as a result the shaft 59 will oscillate and cause the feelers 5'? to be raised and lowered out of and into contact with the sugar cubes located in the bottom of the hopper 15. This operation of the feelers 57 will occur just before the lifters 3'7, 38, 39 and 40 engage the sugar cubes in the hopper 15. Simultaneously with this up and down movement of the feelers 57, the stops 68 and 69 will move into and out of operative relation with the clutch arm 56. As the stops 68 and 69 are moved as above under the influence of the double cam 64 the latch bar '75 will also move therewith under the latching hooks '78 carried by the feelers '57. As the feelers 57 contact with the sugar cubes in the hopper 15 the latching hooks '78 will be stopped at a point clear of the latching bar '75 and permit it to freely oscillate so that the steps 68 and 69 can move out of their operative positions, but should it happen that the hopper 15 is not completely full and one of the feelers 57 should not contact with a sugar cube, this partic-- ular feeler will drop down sufficiently far to permit its supported latching hook 78 to engage the latching bar and thus hold the stops 68 and 69 in their operative positions where they will engage the clutch arm 56 and disconnect the sprocket 51 and thus permit the motor 27 to rotate freely without driving the machine.

The additional or interlocking stop associated with the carton feed is arranged so as to also cooperate with the clutch 25. Its operation may be described in connection with Figure 11 of the drawings, as follows:

As the main driving shaft with the clutch 25 rotates the insulating cylinder 108 will rotate in unison therewith and bring the segment 109 to a point where it will bridge the contacts 110. This will complete the circuit of the solenoid 104, should there be no empty carton upon the shelf at the time the clutch arm 56 approaches the stop 103. .As illustrated, the shelf 21 is shown without a carton thereupon and consequently the arm 112 is in a position which will permit the switch 111 to close and complete the above circuit. With the switch 111 in the position illustrated, it will be understood that when the segment 109 bridges the contacts 110 the circuit of the solenoid 104 will be completed and therefore it will exert a pull upon the armature 105 and move the stop 103 into the path of the clutch arm 56 and thus disconnect the driving motor 27.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements particularly applicable to the packing of sugar, I

is not limited to the specific use or means disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves, in view of this broad disclosure, to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is broadly new and it is desired to claim it as such so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a hopper in which the articles to be packed are arranged, a pick-up device adapted to remove said articles from said hopper in predetermined quantities, a guide for receiving the articles removed from said hopper by said pick-up device, a means at the end of said guide for retaining a single empty carton thereupon, means cooperating with said pick-up device adapted to cause the articles placed in said guide to be periodically moved into said empty carton and dislodge said carton from its retaining means, and means for receiving and transferring said filled carton to a conveyor.

2. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a hopper in which the articles to be packed are arranged in a single layer, a plurality of pick-up members adapted to remove said articles from said hopper in layers, a guide for receiving the articles removed from said hopper by said pickup members, a means at the end of said guide for retaining an empty carton thereupon, and means cooperating with one of said pick-up members adapted to cause a number of layers of the articles placed in said guide to be periodically moved into said empty carton.

3. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a hopper in which the articles to be packed are arranged in a single layer, a plurality of lifters adapted to remove said articles from said hopper in layers, a guide for receiving the articles removed from said hopper by said lifters, a means at the end of said guide for retaining an empty carton thereupon, means cooperating with said lifters adapted to cause the articles placed in said guide to be periodically moved into said empty carton, a support for receiving the carton when filled, and means for subsequently placing another empty carton upon said guide.

4. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a conveyor belt for carrying articles to be packed to the machine, a hopper at the end of said conveyor having a plurality of of vertically disposed parallel partitions, and a yielding and oscillating extension on each alternate partition cooperating with said conveyor adapted to arrange the articles thereupon to insure their proper distribution between said partitions.

5. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a continuous moving conveyor belt for carrying articles to be packed to the machine, an inclined hopper at the end of said conveyor having a plurality of vertically disposed parallel partitions between which the articles to be packed are placed, and means comprising an oscillating extension on each alternate partition cooperating with said conveyor belt adapted to arrange the articles thereupon to insure their proper distribution between said partitions.

6. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor belt for carrying articles to be packed to the machine, a guide at the end of said conveyor for directing the ar ticles having a plurality of vertically disposed parallel partitions, and a yielding and oscillating extension on each alternate partition cooperating with said conveyor and partitions adapted to arrange the articles thereupon and insure their proper distribution between said partitions.

7. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combinationof a hopper in which the articles to be packed are disposed, said hopper having slots through which a comb-like article lifting means may pass, a releasable driving connection for said lifting means, and a plurality of intermittently operating feelers disposed in said hopper adapted to render said driving connection inoperative in the event that less than the required number of articles are present in the discharge end of said hopper as the lifting means approaches the articles in the hopper.

8. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of an inclined hopper having a plurality of vertically disposed parallel partitions between which the articles to be packed are disposed, said hopper having slots at the end thereof through which a comb-like article lifting means may pass, a releasable driving connection for said lifting means, a plurality of intermittently operating feelers disposed between said partitions, and means cooperating with said feelers adapted to render said driving connection inoperative in the event that less than the required number of articles are present in said hopper as the lifting means approaches the articles therein.

9. In a machine for packing a plurality of articles in a carton, the combination of a hopper in which the articles to be packed are disposed, said hopper having a slot at one end thereof, an article lifting means adapted to pass through said slot and remove articles from said hopper, a releasable driving connection for said lifting means, and an intermittently operating feeler disposed at the discharge end of the hopper adapted to render said driving connection inoperative in the event that less than the required number of articles are present in said hopper as the lifting means approaches the end thereof.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a guide for articles to be packed means for placing a carton over the end of said guide, and a yielding carton directing and retaining sleeve interposed between said carton placing means and said guide adapted to first engage the carton and slide with the carton over the end of said guide as the carton is moved into its article receiving position.

11. In an article stacking device for apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pair of spaced sprockets over which a continuous chain may pass, a plurality of transversely extending shafts journaled in spaced relation upon said chain, a comb-like lifter journaled upon each of said shafts, crank arms upon-said comb-like lifters having rollers at their outer ends, and a cam trackway with which the rollers upon said crank arms cooperate, whereby the movement of said lifters upon said shafts will be positively controlled at all times as said continuous chain travels around said sprockets.

12. In an article stacking device for apparatus of the character described, the combination of a hopper for the articles to be stacked, pairs of spaced sprockets over which continuous chains may pass, a plurality of transversely extending shafts journaled in spaced relation upon said chains, a comb-like lifter journaled upon each of said shafts, crank arms upon said comb-like lifters having rollers at their outer ends, a guide receptacle in which the articles are stacked, a cam trackway with which a number of rollers upon said crank arms cooperate, whereby the move ment of said lifters between said hopper and said guide will be controlled to pick up articles from said hopper and stack them in said guide as said continuous chains travel around said sprockets, and a'second cam trackway with which one of said rollers cooperates adapted to move the articles picked up by the other lifters a predetermined distance along said guide receptacle.

13. In. apparatus of the character described, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor, a hopper at the end of said conveyor having a plurality of vertically disposed partitions between which articles carried by said conveyor may be placed, said vertically disposed partitions being extended over a portion of said conveyor, hinged portions at the overhanging ends of every other one of said partitions, and a yielding leaf spring means for causing said hinged portions to swing transversely across the conveyor, whereby the articles carried thereby will be properly arranged and carried by the conveyor between the vertically disposed partitions of the hopper.

14. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor, a hopper at the end of said conveyor having a plurality of vertically disposed partitions which extend over a portion of said conveyor, hinged portions at the extending ends of every alternate one of said partitions, and yielding means for causing said hinged portions to swing transversely across the conveyor, whereby the articles carried thereby will be properly arranged by the hinged portions and carried by the conveyor into the hopper without being damaged.

15. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a horizontally disposed rectangular guide into which articles may be deposited in vertical tiers having an open top at its receiving end, and yielding spring fingers projecting outwardly over the opening in the top of the receiving end of said guide adapted to engage each of the vertical tiers of articles placed therein and exert a downward pressure thereupon, whereby the tiers will be held intact until they are moved into engagement with other similar tiers and completely into the guide.

16. In a carton placing and removing device for apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conveyor for carrying empty cartons to the apparatus, a second conveyor for carrying the filled cartons from the apparatus, a discharge guide through which the articles to be packed are fed to the cartons, a reciprocating shelf for receiving the empty cartons from said first conveyor and placing them over the end of said guide, a vertically swinging shelf at the end of said guide for receiving the filled cartons and placing them upon said second conveyor, and a driving means for said reciprocat ing shelf and said vertically swinging shelf, whereby they will be operated in timed relation to continuously feed empty cartons to and remove filled cartons from said guide.

17. In a carton placing and removing device for apparatus of the character described, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor for carrying empty cartons to the apparatus, a second continuously moving conveyor for carrying the filled cartons from the apparatus, a discharge guide through whichthe articles to be packed are fed to the cartons, a reciprocating shelf for receiving the empty cartons from said cartons from said guide, a releasable clutch in said driving connection, and an electromagnetically operated means for operating the release of said clutch in the absence of an empty carton upon said reciprocating shelf at a predetermined point of its travel.

YRJO A. AHNGER. 

